County FMR · HUD FY2026
Limestone County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Limestone County, AL - 18% above the US average.
- $1,136
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,310
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +6.1%
- YoY change
- +18%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Limestone is the 3rd most expensive of 67 counties in Alabama by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #723 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 6.1% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #723
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #3
- most expensive of 67 in Alabama (2BR)
- +47%
- vs the state average
- $45,440
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (12.1%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (59.8%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Limestone County, AL. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Limestone County, Alabama at $1,136 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,310/mo and a studio is $1,030/mo. This is 18% higher than the national average of $959 and 47% above the Alabama average of $772.
Rent increased6.1% from FY 2025 ($1,071), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $45,440/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 31.2% of the 9,006 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Alabama. Population: 104,199. Population grew 15.6% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Alabama's statewide growth of +3.9% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area LIMESTONE·COUNTY·AL·AL
Limestone County, AL: $1,136/mo 1BR · #723 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA AL
- 1BR-FMR $1,136
- 2BR-FMR $1,310
- RANK-MID #723
- YOY-SURGE +6.1%
- VSUS-ABOVE +18%
- VS-ST-HIGH +47% AL
- INC-ROOM 16%
- POP-MID 104K
- PHOTO-FINISH Jefferson County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,022–$1,250
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Jefferson ($19 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $928 | $1,030 | +$102 (+11.0%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,071 | $1,136 | +$65 (+6.1%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,248 | $1,310 | +$62 (+5.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,609 | $1,690 | +$81 (+5.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,964 | $2,109 | +$145 (+7.4%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Limestone County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
How we calculate this
Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.
Where Limestone sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,310 Top 23% higher than 77% of 3,145 counties
Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026
How Limestone compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Alabama counties
- Baldwin
Baldwin County
$1,200 1BR FMR / mo
- Jefferson
Jefferson County
$1,155 1BR FMR / mo
- Limestone
Limestone County
$1,136 1BR FMR / mo
- Madison
Madison County
$1,136 1BR FMR / mo
- Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa County
$972 1BR FMR / mo
- Mobile
Mobile County
$919 1BR FMR / mo
- Montgomery
Montgomery County
$870 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Limestone is highlighted. Nearby Alabama counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Baldwin County ($1,200), Jefferson County ($1,155), Limestone County (this county) ($1,136), Madison County ($1,136), Tuscaloosa County ($972), Mobile County ($919), Montgomery County ($870).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,136/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Alabama BLS wages?
| Occupation | AL Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $113,020 | 12.1% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $106,330 | 12.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $71,040 | 19.2% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $71,070 | 19.2% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $59,850 | 22.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $53,850 | 25.3% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $52,420 | 26% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $50,120 | 27.2% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $46,060 | 29.6% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,730 | 36.1% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,690 | 36.2% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,430 | 46.3% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $29,120 | 46.8% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $23,490 | 58% | Unaffordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $22,790 | 59.8% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Limestone County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Limestone (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 72.1% overall, from $660 to $1,136. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +22.4% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑6.1% | $1,030 | $1,136 | $1,310 |
| FY 2025 ↑0.4% | $928 | $1,071 | $1,248 |
| FY 2024 ↑22.4% | $900 | $1,067 | $1,248 |
| FY 2023 ↑15.2% | $737 | $872 | $1,029 |
| FY 2022 ↑9.7% | $647 | $757 | $897 |
| FY 2021 ↑4.5% | $589 | $690 | $821 |
| FY 2020 | $567 | $660 | $782 |
Part of the Huntsville, AL Metro Area
Limestone County is a central county of the Huntsville, AL metropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other metro-area county.
Limestone County ranks #2 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Madison County ($1,136), Limestone County (this county) ($1,136).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Limestone County, both outside Alabama so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.
Similar 2-bedroom FMR
Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside AL (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside AL).
Nearby Counties in Alabama
Largest counties by population in Alabama
Showing the 8 largest of 66 other counties in Alabama.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Limestone County? ▼
How does Limestone County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Limestone County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Limestone County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Limestone County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Limestone County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Limestone County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Limestone County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Limestone County? ▼
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.